Illegal workers, employers fined over Bt15m in past 6 months

Illegal workers, employers fined over Bt15m in past 6 monthsnational January 04, 2019 01:00 By The Nation 2,529 Viewed 204 EMPLOYERS and migrant workers have paid more than Bt15 million in fines for illegal employment over the past six months.

From July 1, 2018 to January 2 this year, the authorities imposed fines worth Bt5.3 million on employers for hiring illegal migrants, while workers without the right documentation have had to pay over Bt10 million in fines during the period.

According to her, officials have inspected 8,806 workplaces and 692 entrepreneurs have been prosecuted.

Of the 4,262 illegal workers arrested, 2,914 are from Myanmar, 583 are Laotian and 233 Vietnamese. The rest come from other countries. Of those arrested, 3,472 have been deported.

By law, an employer faces a fine of between Bt10,000 and Bt100,000 for every illegal worker hired. Repeat offenders face a heftier fine of between Bt50,000 and Bt200,000 and/or a jail term of up to one year. They will also be barred from hiring migrant workers for three years.

Migrants found working without a work permit or holding a job not allowed for migrants are liable to a fine of between Bt5,000 and Bt50,000 each. They will be deported after paying the fine and will not be eligible for a work permit for two years.

Petcharat said employers interested in hiring migrant workers and migrants interested in working in Thailand must be registered and comply with law.

“You can contact any employment office in the country,” she said, adding that people should alert the authorities if they notice a migrant working illegally.

“Call the 1506 hotline and press 2,” she said.

The government had granted a grace period for employers and workers to register, before it began imposing fines.